Best Tree stand Accessories 2023 – Hunting Stand Essentials

Setting up a treestand at the right place and elevation is one thing and choosing the best tree stand accessories is another thing. Before you head out on a hunt, make sure you have all the essential tree climber accessories. These include products that ensure personal safety as well as maximum output.  

As a hunter, I have come across numerous accessories for tree stands, of which most are wild and wacky. Everything you see in the market is not helpful, choose only what will help you enjoy a safer hunting experience. These include a safety harness, tree stand hoists, reflective deer blinds, and many more. 

Whether you bow hunt or your hunting style involves gunning and running method, choosing the best tree stand accessories could be overwhelming. There are several considerations. Hunters spend countless hours in the hunting tree house they establish just to prepare for their next catch. During these hours, you must have every treestand accessory required for comfortable yet hassle free hunting. 

Our experienced team members have been using numerous deer stand accessories for quite a long time now. Based on experience and results from the field tests, I have shortlisted the best tree stand accessories that every hunter should have.

Best Tree Stand Accessories – Things That Make Hunting Trouble Free

Following are the must-have best tree stand accessories that every hunter should carry with them. Each comes with a unique and useful purpose which contributes to a much better and safer adventure. 

1. Lifeline system
2. Safety Harness
3. Storage Bags
4. Gear Hoist
5. Tree Hooks
6. Brackets
7. Hangers
8. Blinds
9. Replacement Cables
10. Umbrella
11. Ropes
12. Backpack Straps
13. Tree Stand Lock System

1. Lifeline system

Local experts in hunting suggest that wearing harnesses is obligatory for hunters. Yet an authentic lifeline system to stay connected with the tree when going up and down a tree is absolutely paramount. 

As a no brainer, Hunter Safety System lifeline is the most acclaimed choice for seasoned and beginner hunters for many good reasons. Not just this unit is strong and sturdy, but it is cinch to set up, too. 

The coolest feature of this lifeline is its reflective characteristic that illuminates this rope from some distance of 80-100 yards. This lifeline works what it is intended to do—keeping a hunter tethered to the tree throughout a hunt.

Lifeline is used with all types of stands that are erected using the support of a tree including hang on stand, climbing stands and ladder stand.

2. Safety Harness

No matter where you are and what you do, safety comes first. The hunter safety system hanger harness is designed to protect the person from falling off the deer hunting tree stand. Safety harnesses are the personal protective equipment (PPE) for the hunters and are also called fall arrest systems. Make sure to wear this harness all the time on your stand. 

When maximum comfort meets lightweight, you get the Hunter Safety System X1. After reading several tree stand safety harness reviews, we couldn’t resist trying it out. This retractable hunting safety harness is available in camo appearance, making it an ideal choice for game animal hunting. For more details, read our recommended best tree stand safety harness and detailed buying guides.

The lineman loops on each side are sturdy and make installation quite easy. I have used this harness for an entire hunting season and it worked impeccably. Once I slipped out of my stand and it saved my life. Note that I weigh 184 lbs. and am 5’11” tall. Needless to say, it has a brilliant weight holding capacity. 

A Pro Tip: harnesses and lifelines, both bear manufacturer’s expiration date for their service life. Don’t exceed their usage than the mentioned time frame for experiencing safer hunts.

3. Storage Bags

Treestand accessory bag is probably one of the most essential gear to have. As a hunter, you would have many tools that cannot fit the pockets of your vest. Thus need a spacious and durable hunting backpack. 

 While you may have a backpack, it would be hanged on the hooks however, storage bags are placed on the stand, offering great access and ease of use. For taking things to the next level, a hunting storage bag needs to be distinct from bags used for traveling or other purposes.

Hunting storage bags utilize state of the art techniques as they are scent free. Summit tree stand bags are one of the most widely used and popular among huntsmen. If your treestand has a front bar, the Summit Treestands Deluxe Front Storage Bag would easily fit in there.

The four capacious compartments offered ample room for all of my supplies. I easily stored my rangefinder, compass, binos, flashlight, buck knife, grunt calls, gloves, snacks, two water bottles, and deer scents. 

I used to carry storage bag all the time when hunting with saddle platform. It gives quick one hand access to necessary gear while up on the tree.

A Pro Tip: A storage bag with camo pattern and waterproof liner is going to worth the deal. Or use a turkey vest as a life hack since its bigger and spacious pockets provide you ample room for carrying all your hunting gear except for the bow and arrows.

4. Gear Hoist

When it comes to lifting gears such as your bow or backpack from ground to higher places, tree stand hoists are used. You can find several retractable bow hoists for treestands for your hunting equipment. However, it must have the right features.

The Huntin Hoist Gear Hoist offers brilliant retraction and strength for a variety of gears. In my experience of using this doyles gear hoist, I was able to get my equipment up in no time. One of my friends dropped his gear but thanks to the beefy braided polyester rope, it didn’t break from the weight. 

If you use an electric gear hoist, the load of equipment could make some noise and may aware the game animals. However, manual hoist also becomes noisy when rusty. So, make sure to lube them thoroughly before every use.

Gear hoist is most common among climber stands, hang on stands and ladder treestand hunting units.

I clipped the hoist with my waist belt and climbed the treestand, the 30 ft. long rope stayed on the ground. After seating down safely, its self retracting pull-up feature winded up my gear to the top.

A Pro Tip: Many starter hunters complain that their treestand hoists come undone which means they don’t lift a single gear. To overcome this learning curve, you should follow what noobs do, i.e. maintaining the right tension along the rope. A little tweaking to replace its plastic connection with a bigger knot might be helpful for preventing the rope from going inside the plastic cover of the hoist. The efficiency of a treestand hoist depends largely upon the load it is hoisting, so watch for it to obtain the results.

5. Tree Hooks

Tree stand accessory hooks are pounded into the tree trunk. You can hammer as many hooks as you like depending on the accessories to hang on. These hooks allow easy access to several hunting tools such as rangefinders, binoculars, and more. Some high-end hooks are robust enough to even hold an entire backpack.

These are quite similar to the screw in steps added to the tree to climb on the stand. Since any kind of hook can damage the trees, make sure to check the local laws and permits whilst hunting on public lands. 

We used the HME Dual Accessory Hooks for our hunting trips and these offered great durability. I hammered five of these trees stand hooks and was able to hang my 40 lbs. backpack, water bottle, rangefinder, and a couple more things. Made out of metal, the hooks are strong. The screw length is 1 inch which when pounded leaves 2 inches of hook length.

A Pro Tip: when using treestand hooks for hanging your gear, be mindful of the style of this particluar unit. A hook, having a bend on its one end is more helpful to save your gear from slipping off.

6. Brackets

Ever wonder how hunters attach treestand seats? Simple answer: they use brackets. It is an exceptionally useful climber tree stand accessory that supports the seat. Since it has to hold the entire weight of a hunter, these must have an unquestionable sturdiness. 

I used the Hawk Cruzr Tree Bracket to attach my hunting seat. To my surprise, it was superb with strength. Weighing 184 lbs., the bracket took all of my load without any inconvenience. The only drawback that it has is a bulky body that adds weight to the tree trunk. However, the best thing about it is the ease of hanging and removing.

A Pro Tip: Keeping in mind that treestands can be knocked off easily, a single stand along with several mounting brackets shows much sanity on a hunter’s part. For mobile hunting setups, treestand brackets can be game changing equipment. Instead of investing in multiple treestands to multiple locations, installing multiple brackets on several trees is more cost effective.

7. Hangers

Great for holding firearms, bows, and other heavy equipment, hangers are one of the best tree stand accessories and often used with one man ladder stand and 2 man ladder stands. It could be a little tricky to set it up for the first time however, it’s not trouble when you have a helping hand. 

We found the HME Products – Folding Bow Hanger a capable choice. This tree stand gear hanger folds into half for easy storage and transportation. The super-strong machined mounting screw makes sure that it doesn’t bend or break while holding heavier items. 

I took these out in Southern Iowa during my hunt with wind speeds gusting up to 35 to 40 mph. Fortunately, the HME bow hangers for tree stands stayed strong while holding my bow. Even though the screws are quite sharp, I had to start by drilling a hole into the tree first. 

A Pro Tip: Whitetail hunting involves long sits and holding a firearm or a bow throughout a hunt is quite nagging. Thanks to this life sustaining tool for allowing a hunter to hang his bow and other little gear. Look for a hanger with fewer joints and a sturdy design to hold your hunting gear without dislodging from its place.

8. Blinds

Do you know there are hunting blinds for treestands? We have listed best ones that are are used all over my properties in USA. Read detailed buying guide and best treestand blinds.

Hunting blinds are a clever way to trick game animals, especially on their trails. See everything but don’t get seen is what these blinds are best at. These products come in various types such as camo blinds, tree bark blinds, and more.

Speaking of the top choice, I and my friends absolutely loved the performance of Guide Gear Hunting Tower Blind. It measures 6’ tall from the ground and has 4 x 4 dimensions. The floor is constructed out of steel with the additional support of a plywood sheet. 

For me, this is indeed one of the best deer blind accessories to have. We used these to cover our tree stand where it was quite visible. Thanks to its camo appearance, we were almost invisible and no game animal could spot us.  

Pro Tip: Even in treestand blinds, the hunters have to maintain their stealthiness. Ensure that you’re paying for a blind which is weatherproof and scent free.

9. Replacement Cables

Treestand replacement straps are recommended to change after every three years or as soon as you notice even the slightest corrosion. These are typically the weakest link between the stand and tree. Therefore, you must keep a regular check on these.  

When it comes to the top-notch and silent straps, I couldn’t resist naming the Summit Treestands Replacement Cables. The package includes durable cables each measuring 65 inches long. To save the cables from shrinking when exposed to heat frequently, these come with a coat of shrink tubing. 

If you are a die-hard fan of Summit accessories, these replacement cables will best suit your climbing tree stand. Because of their impeccable quality and rugged features, hunters opt for these a lot. 

Pro Tip: instead of buying a new stand to replace your old fraying stand, these cables are worth a shot to save your bucks.

10. Umbrella

Umbrellas for tree stands are one of the best ways to stay dry in elevated position during rain or snow. This accessory protects the hunter from moisture, and snow. It is usually made out of waterproofing and UV resistant materials. You can easily install it right above your head on the tree. 

The Allen Company Roof Camo Treestand Umbrella is 57 in. wide and hence covers a significant area. I used it to provide my head shelter when the weather was unstable, it covered me from every angle for several hours. 

Because of the nylon material, it is a good choice for moderately rainy days. While using it on a solo hunt, I was able to install it on the tree all by myself. During my experience, I experienced it becoming unstable during winds reaching 25-30 mph.

A Pro Tip: only with the right size and style of tree umbrella, you can experience a dry hunt. So pay extra attention to these significant details when buying a treestand umbrella, to get the real bang for your buck.

11. Ropes

These are similar to replacement cables but are much more versatile. You can use a solid tree stand accessory strap to hold your set in place. Forget the fear of losing stability when you have the right strap. 

To provide you with the best features, we would recommend the Hunter Safety System Rope Style Tree Strap. This rope style strap has superb durability and is 9 ft. long. I have tested numerous other straps and this one is 2.5 ft. longer than the standard size. 

Since a majority of the accidents happen when your ropes fail to ascend the stand with ample power. I tried this one with my safety harness on. It was quite impressive how I was able to reach my desired elevation without falling.

A Pro Tip: The length of the safety rope should be greater than your elevated position in your stand. Leaving excessive rope shouldn’t come to you as an offensive thing.

12. Backpack Straps

What if you find anything as comfortable as a soft-padded backstrap for an improved grip and easy carrying? These are among the best tree stand accessories which every hunter must have. All you need is to install these straps appropriately on your stand to enjoy enhanced safety. 

For this purpose, I found the Summit Treestands Bungee Tether and Backpack Strap an excellent choice. Summit has never disappointed me with its useful accessories and the same is the case here. 

As a cherry on top, these come with a bungee tether to keep the top and bottom portions joined. I used these to replace the straps from my old summit viper stand and it was indeed the best choice. Here is how you can install these to your stands: 

A Pro Tip:  count on the adjustability feature in these straps to fit your backpacking needs.

Various other accessories that are general among treestand and ground hunters can also be included. For example, I often use best rattling antlers (only pre rut and rut hunting season) to call big bucks.

13. Tree Stand Lock System Kryptonite – 5 ft. Chain and Disc Lock

Kryptonite 5ft. Fahgettaboudit Chain and New York Disc Lock is the best tree stand lock out there. If you’re an avid hunter, you definitely know the worth of your equipment and know that these are items you cannot purchase everyday. Believe it or not, there are people lurking in thick jungles, looking for opportunities to take what’s not theirs. Occasionally, hunters leave their tree stands mounted when their hunting plans are divided over a period of time. To cater to the issue of theft, hunters must look for the best tree stand lock. 

The disc style stainless steel lock is 5 ft long with each shackle being 15mm thick. The lock can easily be tied around the tree stand to keep it propped up in place. Field testing has revealed that Kryptonite 5ft. Fahgettaboudit Chain and New York Disc Lock is not easy to shake off or cut up. One would need heavy machinery to get through. 

Kryptonite 5ft. Fahgettaboudit Chain and New York Disc Lock does not necessarily have to be used on a tree stand. On the contrary, it can be used to lock up anything, making it multipurpose. The lock comes with a cloth covering to protect it when not in use. 

Conclusion

You will find hundreds of climbing tree stand accessories but not all should be used. You can add as many as you want, after all your hunting strategy could be entirely different from your pal.

However, buying only those that make a difference in your experience positively, is important. These are designed to support a huntsman hanging on a treestand. From ensuring protection from falling on the ground to providing easy access to all the hunting gear, the best tree stand accessories are a true blessing. 

Before you enter the market, determine the type of hunting you perform and list down your requirements. This will save you from investing in the wrong products and help in getting the best tree stand accessories.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)